Holi

UNIT 1 = CONSTITUENT STRUCTURE

The constituent structure of a sentence is concerned with the units into which the words in a sentence are grouped, which are the constituents, and their hierarchical organization. The kind of constituent to be discussed in this unit is also referred as phrase structure. Let’s see an example to remember about phrase structure:

The teacher reada book in the library
N V N N
NP

The purpose of this unit is to introduce tree diagrams. In the analysis of the constituent structure of sentences, it is necessary to break sentences down into the various constituents and establish the form classes found in them andalso to develop rules which will specify the constituent structure of sentences. Breaking sentences down into their constituents is known as parsing, while the specification of their structure involves the formulation of phrase-structure rules.

Constituent structure is purely formal in nature; that is, it is based upon syntagmatic and paradigmatic properties of elements and groups of elementsrather than their meaning. The determination of constituents is based on tests which refer to the cooccurrence and substitution properties of elements and groups of elements and which make no interference to meaning.

Tests for Constituency

There are three tests for constituency: substitution, permutation and coordination.

1) Substitution = this entails that only a constituent can bereplaced by another element, usually a pro-form (pronouns for nouns), a pro-VP for VPs (aux. Replacing a verb), or a pro-PP for a PP (adverb replacing a PP).
Examples:
a) The new teacher read a short book in the library.
b) She read a short book in the library. (The new teacher)
c) The new teacher read it in the library. (a short book)
d) The new teacher read itthere. ( in the library)
e) The new teacher read it in there. ( the library)
f) The new teacher did. ( read a book in the library)

2) Permutation = that is when a constituent may occur in different positions in a sentence while retaining its structural unity. This can be seen in the following examples:

g) In the library, the new teacher read a short book.
h) Thenew teacher read a short book in the library.

There are instances in which less than a full PP can permute, as in the following example showing preposition stranding:

a) The teacher gave a book to the student.
b) Who did the teacher give a book to?
c) To whom did the teacher give a book?

3) Coordination = only constituents may be linked, usually by coordinateconjunctions, to form a coordinate structure.

i) in the table and under the desk. (PP and PP)
j) on the table and the desk. ( P+NP and NP)
k) on and under the table. ( P and P + NP)
l) the happy boys and angry girls. ( ART + NP and NP)
m) the happy boys and girls. ( ART + ADJ + N and N)
n) Kim read a book at home and wrote a poem in the library. (NP (VP+NP+PPand VP + NP + PP) )
o) Kim read a book and wrote a poem in the library. ( NP ( VP+NP and VP+NP ) PP )
p) Kim can read and write a poem. ( NP+MODAL (VP and VP) NP)

TEST 1 = Contents:
a) Tests for Constituency
b) Identify constituents.

Exercises:

I Use substitution ( pro-forms) to replace constituents.

a) My brother and sister moved to Concepcion lastsummer.
b) Rut cooked a delicious cake for my daughter in the kitchen.
c) The policeman trapped the thief in the warehouse last night.
d) The secretary in the university lost her wallet in the toilet.

II Write sentences using the following patterns.

a) NP+VP and VP + NP
b) NP+PP+VP+NP and NP+PP
c) NP+Rel. Cl.+VP+NP + PP and PP
d) NP+VP+NP+P (NP and NP)...